The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1887-12-15
The WIDOWS PUMPKINS.

| 1t was a brilliant October morning
lie grass all sparkling with frost, the
trees waving their red ieweled arms to
the sunshine, and EIiakim Ellis was
driving sereneiy down Hay Hill.
81 amt a poet" thought he, "but
if / was | could write lot OF rhymes
about this. Why, it's poetry all the
way through. And-eh? how?-what?
Who's that"
1t was the Widow Hepsy Hall,
standing at the door of her little one
stored house and reckoning with her
long, lean arms toward him. The
Iarmer drew his rein.
"Hold Oh, Sorrel" he apostrophized
his steed. "1ou amt never in hurry
when want you to be, so | calkelate
you can stand still bit now. Wal,
Mis- Hall, what can | dew for We this
morning."
"Tve got some pumpkins that |
want to SELL" said the widow Hepsy.
''Dretfui likely ones.'
"Pumpkins?" called Eliakim. why,
bless your soul, Mis- Hall, pumpkins
IS dreg in the market just now,
The pumpkin crop has turned out
! powerful good, thank Providence, and
our folks is feedin' EN- to the caows."
A shadow Of dire disappointment
crept over the old woman's face, as
she stood there, unconsciously pictur
esque, against the curly hop tendriIs
and crimson woodbine leaves that
sarlanded the doorway. The tears
came into her dim eyes.
"Then may as we'll give it up"
said she in accents OF despair. "For
| | hain't nothing else to sell; and Be-
Indy had set such store on my comm
| down this autumn afore cold weather
set in"
"Eh?" said Mr.. Ellis, good-natured-
! ~. "1ou was u goin' down to Be
lindy's, eh?"
Il can't without no money!" said
the Widow Hepsey Hall. "And Twas
sort OF caiculatin' on them pump
kins. The corn hasn't amounted to
nothin', and the weasels has TUX all
the poultry, and the dried berries
widowed that last dog days weather,
and the carpet weavin' business is
awful dull; so what be to do.''
Cant We put off your visit" said
Eliakim, thoughtfully tlickins the top
of a cluster OF saucy ox-eyed daisies
that grew close to his wagon wheels.
"Belindys little boys got the
Group" said Mrs. Hall, lusubriously.
! and her husband has fell off a scat
| fold and broke his les. And if ever
I'm wanted there. it's now"
II swan" calculated honest Ella
kim, as he realized what the double
meaning OF poverty and misfortune
was. Fetch n1e them pumpkins; I'll
buy 'em, anyhow"
'Tll let you have the lot for dol
lar" said the Widow Hepsev, wistful.
ly. "They's Jest out in the corner
lot"
"Ain't gathered, eh?"
"Bess me- whO've l got to gather
'em?" reproachfully retorted Mrs.
Hall, ''and not q soul about the place.
and me with that crick in my back
Eliakim Eliis's heart smote him.
Who was he, to complain of a little
trouble. when the Widow Hepsey was
so much worse off than himself?
So he alighted and led Sorrel labo-
siously down the stony cart track to.
ward the cornfeld, where, amid the
harvested shocks, cleaned the ruddy
gold o. pumpkins innumerable.
"Pumpkins," screamed Mrs. Ellis,
when her husband drove into the
BARNARD at noon. "Pumpkinsw
you bringing pumpkins here for?
Amt we got the barn chambers full,
and the lots full, and the very cattle
won't eat 'em2 Be you clean gone
crazy?"
Mrs. Ellis was q high cheek boned
female, with projecting from teeth and
hard greenish eyes, like badly colored
marbles. She was one OF those who
worshiped gain as the iire-worshipers
fell down before the sun. money is
money" was her favorlte axiom.
And EIiakim felt his heart sink
within him as he faced her stern, I'M
compromising gaze.
"They're jest a few" he began.
"a few' shrilly echoed his wife.
1.-THE Vaughn is heaped full! And We
a-throwing of 'em away every day.
That's lest mans caiculatin'n'
Jest a few" said Eliakim, hitching
desperately on the first section OF his
speech, chat I've brung hown here to
sell for Mrs Hall. There amt much
market up hathaway, you know,
Loisy."
And" he added to himself good
ness knows how glad I'd be to sell 'em
if / had the chance! amt lynn no.
howl"
Mrs. Ellis gave prodisious sniff.
Don't you fetch that there truck
inside of the dooryard, 'Liakim"
said she Jest dump 'em on the
roadside and let the neighbors' hogs
eat them up as quick as they CAM
But Mr.. Ellis took advantage of a
tin-peddler coming along on the other
side of the street and engaging his
helpmeet's attention, to smugge in
the load of pumpkins.
81 won't waste EN-, anyway" said
he, ''if anybody's hogs is to eat 'em
it may as we'll be mine"
That afternoon, when he came in to
supper, a thing happened which had
never before befallen him in his married
life.
He found the tea. kettle cold, the
graham gems unbaked, the table I'M
spread, his wife crying piteously.
"Eh," said Eliakim, blankly.
"What in all creations the matter
now? You amt sick, be you Loisy?"
Eyes, l be-" sobbed Mrs. Ellis.
"Heartsick, 'Liakim. Oh, what hev l
done? Eve sold them OF gray pants
O. yourn to the tin peddler, and never
remembered how I'd put that
three hundred dollar coupon bond
you gave me to keep,in the pocket, be.
cause l calculated no burglars would
take pair O ragged old pants. Oh,
dear! oh, dear!"
For one minute Eliakim Ellis stood
silent, A hundred dollars was hum